Culture Report essays

Culture Report essays The Kalapalo Indians of Central Brazil are one of a few surviving indigenous cultures that is uniquely protected by a national reserve in lowland South America. Through no effort of there own, they have been isolated artificially from Brazilian social and economic influences that reach almost every other Indian tribe in Brazil. This unusual situation has made it possible for the Kalapalos culture to be undisturbed by the outside world and the surrounding tribes. Much of Kalapalo life is run through a central concept or an ideal of behavior, called ifutisu. This is an infinite ideological concept that is represented in many ways in social life and ideal organization among the Kalapalo. The area in which the Kalapalo live is in the northeastern Mato Grosso state called Upper Xingu Basin. There are four unintelligible languages by groups in this region. This makes the Upper Xingu Basin linguistically diverse, but with many of the groups still sharing the same social and ideological features. It is very difficult to trace back the origins of Kalapalo life because of the integration of the many different and culturally diverse groups in the Upper Xingu Basin. So, many of systems of kinship classification, marriage practices, ceremonial organizations, status allocation, and religious beliefs are consistent with cultural rules and social practices and not with the original system. Many of the modern local groups can only reconstruct their own history which is in limited detail, these systems cant be isolated completely from the existing society. The two most important social units in Upper Xingu society are the village and the household groups. Both the village and household can be considered corporate in that both control rights to territorial resources, acts as a unit when performing certain economic and ceremonial activities. Members of a household group are obligated to pass out food which they collect amongst themselves...

Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812

Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 The Battle of New Orleans was fought December 23, 1814-January 8, 1815, during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). Armies Commanders Americans Major General Andrew JacksonCommodore Daniel Pattersonapprox. 4,700-4,800 men British Major General Edward PakenhamVice Admiral Sir Alexander CochraneMajor General John Lambertapprox. 8,000-9,000 men Battle of New Orleans - Background In 1814, with the Napoleonic Wars concluding in Europe, Britain was free to focus its attention on fighting the Americans in North America. The British plan for the year called for three major offensives with one coming from Canada, another striking at Washington, and the third hitting New Orleans. While the thrust from Canada was defeated at the Battle of Plattsburgh by Commodore Thomas MacDonough and Brigadier General Alexander Macomb, the offensive in the Chesapeake region saw some success before being halted at Fort McHenry. A veteran of the latter campaign, Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane moved south that fall for the attack on New Orleans. Having embarked 8,000-9,000 men, under the command of Major General Edward Pakenham, a veteran of the Duke of Wellingtons Spanish campaigns, Cochranes fleet of around 60 ships arrived off Lake Borgne on December 12. In New Orleans, the defense of the city was tasked to Major General Andrew Jackson, commanding the Seventh Military District, and Commodore Daniel Patterson who oversaw the US Navys forces in the region. Working frantically, Jackson assembled around 4,700 men which included the 7th US Infantry, 58 US Marines, a variety of militia, Jean Lafittes Baratarian pirates, as well as free black and Native American troops (Map). Battle of New Orleans - Fighting on Lake Borgne Desiring to approach New Orleans through Lake Borgne and the adjacent bayous, Cochrane directed Commander  Nicholas Lockyer to assemble a force of 42 armed longboats to sweep American gunboats from the lake.   Commanded by Lieutenant Thomas ap Catesby Jones, American forces on Lake Borgne numbered five gunboats and two small sloops of war.   Departing on December 12, Lockyers 1,200-man force located Jones squadron 36 hours later.   Closing with the enemy, his men were able to board the American vessels and overwhelm their crews.   Though a victory for British, the engagement delayed their advance and gave Jackson additional time to prepare his defenses.   Battle of New Orleans - The British Approach With the lake open, Major General John Keane landed on Pea Island and established a British garrison. Pushing forward, Keane and 1,800 men reached the east bank of the Mississippi River approximately nine miles south of the city on December 23 and encamped on the Lacoste Plantation. Had Keane continued his advance up the river, he would have found the road to New Orleans undefended.   Alerted to the British presence by  Colonel Thomas Hinds dragoons, Jackson reportedly proclaimed  By the Eternal, they shall not sleep on our soil and commenced preparations for an immediate strike against the enemy camp. Early that evening, Jackson arrived north of Keanes position with 2,131men.   Launching a three-pronged attack on the camp, a sharp fight ensued that saw American forces inflict 277 (46 killed) casualties while sustaining 213 (24 killed). Falling back after the battle, Jackson established a line along the Rodriguez Canal four miles south of the city at Chalmette. Though a tactical victory for Keane, the American attack put the British commander off balance, causing him to delay any advance on the city. Using this time, Jacksons men began fortifying the canal, dubbing it Line Jackson. Two days later, Pakenham arrived on the scene and was angered by the armys position opposite an increasingly strong fortification. Though Pakenham initially wished to move the army through the Chef Menteur Pass to Lake Pontchartrain, he was convinced by his staff to move against Line Jackson as they believed the small American force could be easily defeated. Repelling British probing attacks on December 28, Jacksons men began eight constructing batteries along the line and on the west bank of the Mississippi. These were supported by the sloop of war USS Louisiana (16 guns) in the river.   As Pakenhams main force arrived on January 1, an artillery duel began between the opposing forces. Though several American guns were disabled, Pakenham elected to delay his main attack. Battle of New Orleans - Pakenhams Plan For his main assault, Pakenham wished an attack on both sides of the river. A force under Colonel William Thornton was to cross to the west bank, assault the American batteries, and turn their guns on Jacksons line. As this occurred, the main body of the army would attack Line Jackson with Major General Samuel Gibbs advancing on the right, with Keane to his left. A smaller force under Colonel Robert Rennie would move forward along the river. This plan quickly ran into problems as difficulties arose getting the boats to move Thorntons men from Lake Borne to the river. While a canal had been constructed, it began to collapse and the dam intended to divert water into the new channel failed. As a result, the boats had to be dragged through the mud leading to a 12-hour delay. As a result, Thornton was late in crossing on the night of January 7/8 and the current forced him to land further downstream than intended. Despite knowing that Thornton would not be in place to attack in concert with the army, Pakenham elected to move forward. Additional delays soon occurred when Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Mullens 44th Irish Regiment, which was meant to lead Gibbs attack and bridge the canal with ladders and fascines, could not be found in the morning fog. With dawn approaching, Pakenham ordered the attack to begin. While Gibbs and Rennie advanced, Keane was further delayed. Battle of New Orleans - Standing Firm As his men moved onto the Chalmette plain, Pakenham hoped that the dense fog would provide some protection. This was soon dashed as the fog melted away under the morning sun. Seeing the British columns before their line, Jacksons men opened an intense artillery and rifle fire upon the enemy. Along the river, Rennies men succeeded in taking a redoubt in front of the American lines. Storming inside, they were halted by fire from the main line and Rennie was shot dead. On the British right, Gibbs column, under heavy fire, was approaching the ditch in front of the American lines but lacked the fascines to cross (Map). With his command falling apart, Gibbs was soon joined by Pakenham who led the wayward 44th Irish forward. Despite their arrival, the advance remained stalled and Pakenham was soon wounded in the arm. Seeing Gibbs men faltering, Keane foolishly ordered the 93rd Highlanders to angle across the field to their aid. Absorbing fire from the Americans, the Highlanders soon lost their commander, Colonel Robert Dale. With his army collapsing, Pakenham ordered Major General John Lambert to lead the reserves forward. Moving to rally the Highlanders, he was struck in the thigh, and then mortally wounded in the spine. The loss of Pakenham was soon followed by the death of Gibbs and the wounding of Keane. In a matter of minutes, the entirety of British senior command on the field was down. Leaderless, British troops remained on the killing field. Pushing forward with the reserves, Lambert was met by the remnants of the attack columns as they fled towards the rear. Seeing the situation as hopeless, Lambert pulled back. The only success of the day came across the river where Thorntons command overwhelmed the American position. This too was surrendered though after Lambert learned that it would take 2,000 men to hold the west bank. Battle of New Orleans - Aftermath The victory at New Orleans on January 8 cost Jackson around 13 killed, 58 wounded, and 30 captured for a total of 101. The British reported their losses as 291 killed, 1,262 wounded, and 484 captured/missing for a total of 2,037. A stunningly one-sided victory, the Battle of New Orleans was the signature American land victory of the war. In the wake of the defeat, Lambert and Cochrane withdrew after bombarding Fort St. Philip. Sailing to Mobile Bay, they captured Fort Bowyer in February and made preparations for attacking Mobile. Before the attack could go forward, the British commanders learned that a peace treaty had been signed at Ghent, Belgium. In fact, the treaty had been signed on December 24, 1814, prior to the majority of the fighting in New Orleans. Though the United States Senate had yet to ratify the treaty, its terms stipulated that fighting should cease. While the victory at New Orleans did not influence the content of the treaty, it did aid in forcing the British to abide by its terms. In addition, the battle made Jackson a national hero and aided in propelling him to the presidency. Selected Sources US Army Center for Military History: Battle of New OrleansAndrew Jackson: Leading the Battle of New OrleansJean Lafitte National Historical Park

American Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

American Literature - Essay Example These descriptions of his voyages, the land and the people he had seen in these places are what drove Spain to Hispaniola. Here, they set up colonies that led to problems for the local inhabitants of those lands who had previously lived in peace. Bartolome de las Casas (Burrell 38 - 39) fought against the ill treatment that the Indians from Hispaniola faced at the time. The Spanish had taken over the islands belonging to the Indians and taken the inhabitants as slaves. They had taken their land and drove them to less habitable areas while taking all the food they produced. The Spanish broke the existing family structures that were in place in the island. Families were separated through death when some of their members were killed. Others were taken away to Spain as slaves to work in plantations, in the mines to harvest gold and in the sea harvesting pearls. The Indians who had been peacefully living in their islands as families faced life threatening difficulties with the arrival of the European man. Conquest of New Spain†, it is evident that there were various similarities between the indigenous culture and the European culture at the time. Both cultures had well established cosmologies, high nobles, a priestly class and elected officials. Montezuma was the elected Emperor of Mexico at the time. These civilizations also both had warriors and a sophisticated division of labor that allowed them to conduct their daily affairs in an organized manner. Both cultures engaged in pottery and ceramics, metallurgy, weaving for basketry and clothing. These two cultures were both very advanced with well-developed social structures that enabled them to acquire beauty and wealth that allowed them to survive during their time

Examining the Skills of Famous Business Leaders Research Paper

Examining the Skills of Famous Business Leaders - Research Paper Example This paper analyses the leadership style of these two individuals. Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko Mississippi on January 29, 1954 (Achievement, 2009). She started her career as a radio broadcaster. She showed early on in her career the ability to communicate with others and to captivate the attention of large audiences. In 1985 she started the talk show â€Å"The Oprah Winfrey Show† which soon became the nation’s top talk show nationwide. Oprah Winfrey’s leadership style can be categorized as a charismatic leader. Charismatic leaders are those leaders who by force of their abilities are capable of having a profound and extraordinary effect on their followers (Schermerhorn, et. al. 2003). Alan Greenspan was born on March 6, 1926. He majored in economics from the University of New York. Some of his professional accomplishment includes being the top economics consultant for the firm Townsend-Greenspan, advisor to President Nixon, and advisor in the Ford presidency (Answers, 2009). His greatest professional goal was becoming the president of the federal reserve from 1987-2006. Mr. Greenspan was a powerful figure in US political regime that was considered the most powerful financial leader during his tenured as head of Fed. His leadership style can be categorized as a transactional leadership. Transactional leadership behavior focuses on the accomplishment of tasks and good worker relationships in exchange for desirable rewards in the workplace (Leadingtoday, 2003). The leadership style of Oprah Winfrey is much different that the leadership style of Mr. Greenspan. Oprah utilized her outgoing personality to inspire others, while Alan utilize his legitimate power to dictate the economic policies the country would follow as far as monetary policy is concern. Greenspan had many people that disagreed with his decisions who became adversaries of his regime. Oprah utilized

School Life Essay Example for Free

School Life Essay Then BOOM my alarm clock goes off to wake my brother and I up to get ready for school, but this was all put to the side by our mother coming in to the room telling us that she would have to work a few extra hours. Wake your but up! Is what I yelled to my brother as I had always did he consistently showed himself to be the lazy one who would just breeze through life without a care in the world. He replied back with the bad morning breath, â€Å"Leave, me, alone its only 6:30 school doesn’t start until 7:30. Me as usual I got up pulled him out of bed until he hit the floor then started my routine to get ready for the day’s events. Oh yeah my name is Gerard by the way. I carried myself across the dimly lit hall towards the bathroom. As I flicked on the light switch, I first noticed this hair pick still stuck in the side of my head. I immediately grabbed it and started to fix my hair. As I stand in front of the mirror looking back at my own reflection, wondering why, does school start this early in the morning, I grabbed the toothbrush and toothpaste and began to a make it happen. My brother’s name is Joel, and he could care less of his appearance, because he always thought that he was God’s gift to the ladies. Most of his attire consisted of whatever he felt like grabbing out of the closet or the first thing he could get his hands on. He didn’t care if he was all wrinkled, his excuse was that they’ll be gone throughout the day plus now one would notice them anyway because that’s how he rolled. You would have thought that he just came from summer camp playing rugby with a few of his friends before school started. As he came into the bathroom besides me to wash up and get ready, I could always here him saying thanks for getting me up too, knowing that being the older sibling I couldn’t just let him be late for school besides our mother would have killed me. As I look at the clock I notice that we are right on schedule, its 7:00 and time to wake my sister Latoya, she’s in middle school and does not experience the rush that my brother and I go thru being that the two of us share a room and sometimes wrestle to get around to what we need to be done. The time is now 7:10, and it’s time for us to leave the house headed for school since we live only a quarter of a mile away from the school we can pretty much toss a couple of rocks a few times and we’re there. The only downside is that sometimes we get too complacent living so close to the school that we end up thinking there’s more time and end up cutting it close to getting to class on time or worse being late and end up with detention. As we get to school they are still selling breakfast its usually something simple like garlic cheesy bread or the cinnamon sugar rolls that are so delicious. But we cannot stand in line and enjoy them today because the first school bell rings and that signifies things need to get closed out and you need to put your thinking caps on. As we exited the cafeteria it was 7:25 and the start of the school day and the final bell rings at 1:50. Joel and I always knew that we would see each other at our lunch period odd as it seems I was a senior and he was a sophomore, but hey, that’s how the schedules came out. We couldn’t control the outcomes of what we wanted to do we could always find some sort of time to throw a wise crack at one another.

Essay on The Redemption of King Lear -- King Lear essays

The Redemption of King Lear? Shakespeare’s play, King Lear is quite renowned and the folly of the ancient King is a great example of how not to handle family relationships. The question has been proposed if King Lear is redeemed when reunited with Cordelia. King Lear does achieve a kind of redemption when he is reunited with Cordelia in Acts IV and V of the tragedy. What kind of redemption he achieves is open to interpretation. In order to understand the King's redemption, it must be determined what the King is redeemed from. Once this sin is established, an analysis can be made as to when the King is redeemed, and how. I propose that King Lear's folly, for which he is later redeemed occurs in Act I scene 1. As an opening scene should, this scene sets up all the characters of the play. In this scene, Lear intends to divide his kingdom among his daughters based on their flattery in professing their love for him. This superficial nature is a flaw in the King's character. King Lear's oldest two daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter the King to his liking, easily deceiving him. Cordelia, the young daughter prefers to "Love, and be silent."(892). The King is enraged at Cordelia's silence, even though in truth she loves the king more than her sisters. King Lear disowns Cordelia: Let it be so! Thy truth, then be thy dower! &... ...sp; And ask of thee forgiveness. So we'll live, And pray and sing and tell old tales, and laugh . . . The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? He that parts us shall bring a brand from heavens (959). Unfortunately the King's redemption is short for the ending of the play is in the true nature of a tragedy, and in fact epitomizes the genre.

African americans and Native americans Essay

African Americans and American Indians or Native Americans are two of the major subordinate groups in America today. They face many forms of oppression from the dominant group and have many things in common when it comes to this oppression. I would like to focus on five specific types of oppression they face: stigmatization, segregation, ethnocentrism, prejudice, and discrimination. African Americans are facing stigmatization far less these days, but if one looks back a half-century, they will find countless examples. Stigmatization can include the de-humanization, labeling, characterizing, and degrading of a group. During slavery, blacks were stigmatized into the happy and carefree characters Mammy and Sambo. This was done to show that slavery was good and blacks probably wouldn’t be able to function in free society. When slaves were freed, blacks were painted as savages that could not be trusted to live normally. Caricatures of blacks with exaggerated features and portraits of the characters Sambo and Mammy still exist today. For Native Americans, stigmatization is far worse. Countless sports teams have a Native American as their mascot, some having very derogatory names such as the Washington Redskins. â€Å"Indians† were also portrayed as evil in countless western movies and as ruthless savages in others. These stigmatizations make â€Å"Indians† seem more like fantasy characters than real people. Many people do not realize that these stigmatizations are very hurtful and detrimental to society. Segregation, the separation of two or more groups based on physical characteristics, is another issue that still plagues African Americans and Native Americans. From the moment Europeans set foot on what is now America, they have been forcing â€Å"Indians† farther and farther west. The American government created reservations for the â€Å"Indians† so that they could have the valuable resources that they â€Å"needed†. Treaties were signed and broken, and the â€Å"Indians† moved farther along the Trail of Tears. Reservations still exist today and for the most part Native Americans have are not integrated into American society. Most would like to think that after the Supreme Court case Brown vs. Board of Education, segregation no longer exists for African Americans. Sure it’s not like we still have separate drinking fountains, but by and large blacks and whites are separate. In all major cities large housing projects have been created for low-income persons. The vast majority of the people living there are black. Most inner city schools are almost entirely made up of minorities. Legal segregation is no longer a problem anymore, but social segregation is still a major problem in society today and something needs to be done. Ethnocentrism is the feeling by one group that they are superior to another based on ethnic background. Native Americans have always been the victims of this. They were forced to leave their homeland by the â€Å"superior† Europeans and thought not good enough to live among them. Native Americans still live mostly separate and many people still degrade them and think of them as inferior both mentally and physically. Most people have not been exposed to them yet judge them anyways. This is very sad and disturbing. African Americans were thought of as the lowest, stupidest, least civilized people on earth. The whites thought they were far superior and showed this by literally stealing African Americans from their homeland of Africa and forcing to into slave labor. Even after slavery, white supremacy groups such as the KKK still exist and continue to be a proponent for the inferiority of African Americans. Many think of blacks as being less far less intelligent and civilized even today. Prejudice and discrimination are two of the biggest problems facing African and Native Americans today, and the two go hand in hand. Prejudice involves negative attitudes towards ethnic groups, which can include beliefs, thoughts, and stereotypes. Discrimination is taking action on these prejudices by denying certain rights and opportunities to these groups. Prejudice leads to discrimination of these groups. African Americans as well as Native Americans are discriminated against in employment opportunities, housing options, public school resources, and countless other ways. They are  discriminated against because of these prejudices and stereotypes.For example, say a black man walks into a store with his white friend. The employees of the store are more likely to offer service to the white man and will probably follow the black man to make sure he is not shoplifting. The prejudice views they hold cause them to discriminate against the black man. These problems are very real even today and unless society as a whole addresses them and ways to stop them, they will continue to destroy the fabric of our country.

Taiwan Scholarship Program Guidelines

The Taiwan Scholarship Program Guidelines are duly enacted in accordance with Article 4 of the Taiwan Scholarship2.Types of Scholarships and benefits:Undergraduate Scholarships: These scholarships are for foreign students who want to pursue undergraduate studies at universities/colleges in Taiwan. A stipend of NT$25,000 per month per student will be provided. (2) Master’s Scholarships: Scholarships in the amount of NT$30,000 per month will be provided for qualified foreign students who want to pursue their master’s degrees at universities/colleges in Taiwan. (3) Ph.D. Scholarships: Scholarships in the amount of NT$30,000 per month will be provided for qualified foreign students who want to pursue their Ph.D. degrees at universities/colleges in Taiwan.The aforementioned scholarships will be under the supervision of the universities/colleges and stipends will be awarded monthly based on the students’ attendance records and academic performance. Tuition, accommodati on, insurance and miscellaneous fees are all included in the scholarships herein stated. For the scholarships, which are sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (ROC), each student will be provided with a stipend of NT$30,000 per month, plus an economy airfare for direct roundtrip flights. 3.Quotas and Scholarships Offered by Government Agencies:Taiwan scholarship quotas will be discussed and decided by the Taiwan Scholarship Management and Promotion Committee and are contingent upon the annual budget allotments. Taiwan Scholarships are funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the National Science Council of the Executive Yuan (NSC) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Scholarships offered by the aforementioned agencies are as follows:(1) MOE: Undergraduate/Masters’s/ Ph.D. Scholarships; (2) MOFA: Undergraduate Scholarships; (3) NSC: Master’s/ Ph.D. Scholarships; and (4) MOEA: Masterâ€℠¢s/ Ph.D. Scholarships; limited to graduate degree programs and are related to science, engineering, agriculture, medicine and hi-tech  fields. Recipients, whose scholarships are sponsored by the MOE or MOFA, may attend Language Enrichment Programs (Hereinafter referred to as LEP) in University-affiliated Chinese Language Centers (Hereinafter referred to as language centers) in Taiwan up to one year, in order to improve their language proficiency, before beginning their degree programs.A stipend of NT$25,000 for MOE recipients, and NT$30,000 for MOFA recipients per month, per student will be provided. Those who apply for the Master’s and/or Ph.D. Scholarships from the NSC and MOEA can not apply for the Language Enrichment Program.4. Duration of Scholarships:(1) Undergraduate Scholarships: maximum four years; (2) Master’s Scholarships: maximum two years; and (3) Ph.D. Scholarships: maximum three years.The total and maximum number of years for foreign students to recei ve scholarships (including LEP) will be five years. In principle, scholarships will begin from August 1 of each year and continue until July 31, of the following year. Scholarship recipients who are approved for summer programs or LEP may be assigned different scholarship award dates. If the recipient fails to enroll before the semester starts, the scholarship will begin from the month he/she arrives in Taiwan to study. Scholarships will begin from the month of student enrollment and will stop when the scholarship ends, the recipient graduates, drops out, is expelled, or upon cancellation of the scholarship, whichever comes first. Scholarship applicants shall not accept more than one scholarship issued by ROC (Taiwan) governmental agencies and/or educational institutions at the same time.If the applicant was granted more than one scholarship, he/she shall select only one scholarship to receive; if an applicant is found to be receiving more than one scholarship at the same time, the applicant shall be disqualified and asked to return the scholarship money already received.5. Qualifications: Applicants must meet the following requirements: (1) They should have a good academic record and moral character; (2) They should neither be Overseas Chinese Students nor ROC nationals; (3) They should not be scholarship recipients from other ROC government agencies or institutions in Taiwan; (4) They should not be exchange students who are admitted in accordance with academic cooperation agreements made between local educational universities/  colleges and foreign educational institutions;(5) They should not have had their scholarships cancelled in accordance with these Guidelines; (6) They should not have received Taiwan Scholarships of the same type; (7) The total duration of their scholarship(s) should not exceed 5 years; (8) They should not be foreign students who have already enrolled at local educational institutions at their own expense. (However, they will be elig ible to apply to individual universities/colleges for Foreign Students’ Scholarships, which are subsidized by the MOE.)6. Application Process:(1) Procedure: The overseas missions of the ROC should refer to MOE Regulations Regarding International Students undertaking Studies in Taiwan and these Guidelines while receiving and reviewing applications either independently or in joint cooperation with foreign local governments, schools, or cultural and educational institutions. Each year, by the end of January, the overseas missions should report their selection and assessment methods (through meetings or paper review) regarding these scholarships to the related government agencies and the MOE. (2) Application Period: Annually from February 1st through the end of March.(3) Required Documents: Applicants need to submit the following documents: A. Taiwan Scholarship Application Form (Form A with Study Plan; the format will be regulated by the MOE); B. Proof of highest educational qua lifications and academic performance; C. Proof of application to enroll at local universities/colleges and/or language centers (e.g. a copy of the application form); and D. Other documents as requested by the overseas missions of the ROC.(4) Selection: After reviewing the application documents, the overseas missions will select eligible scholarship candidates, as well as alternatives and create a list. This list will be sent to the related universities/colleges or language centers by the end of April for their reference. Copies of this list will also be provided to the related government agencies and the MOE. (5) Approval: Applicants are responsible for their application process to the universities/colleges or language centers that they would like to attend. Each school and/or language center shall refer to the guidelines of individual schools admission process for foreign students and begin the application review process. The school and/or language center should notify candidates, of their final decision, no  later than mid-June.(6) Notification of Admission: Applicants, upon receiving their admission letter, need to submit a copy of the admission letter to the designated respective overseas missions in order to secure their scholarship by no later than the end of June. Late submission of these documents, after the deadline will be deemed as a waiver for accepting the scholarship. In this case, the respective overseas mission should send a scholarship award letter to all qualified recipients and inform the alternative(s) in order to fill any vacancy(s). Candidates will be disqualified if they fail to pass the application review process of respective schools.(7) Acceptance Lists: By the end of July, the overseas missions should provide recipient acceptance lists, which will include their legal names, Chinese names, nationalities, gender, scholarship sponsoring agencies, type of scholarship, duration of scholarship, admitting universities/colleges and/or lang uage centers, highest educational qualifications, references of the recipients and other information to the related government agencies (including the MOE) and universities/colleges and/or language centers involved.The overseas missions shall also provide such information to the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the MOFA and the National Police Agency of Ministry of Interior, in order to assist them with their follow-up procedures. In case of special conditions or failure to complete the aforementioned processes, before the required deadlines, the overseas missions should report such circumstances to the related government agencies for approval (and inform the MOE of such events). (8) For those recipients whose scholarships are funded by the MOFA, the respective ROC overseas missions will purchase one-way economy airfare tickets to Taiwan for the recipients.The overseas missions need to submit the original receipts and copies of passenger coupons to the MOFA in order to be reimbursed. T he return economy airfare tickets will be bought by the MOFA. 7. Renewal process for scholarship recipients in Taiwan before the expiration of scholarships and the application for enrollment: (1) Recipients who want to pursue further study programs need to follow the terms found in Subparagraph (2) and (3) of this Article. For other recipients in Taiwan, who wish to renew their scholarships (in August), they have to submit each year a Taiwan Scholarship Application Form (Form B; the format will be regulated by the MOE) and reports of their academic  performance to their universities/colleges by the end of February.The universities/colleges will review their applications to see if they are qualified and send the list to the related government agencies (including the MOE) for review in order to reserve the number of scholarship recipients and follow the Article 10 for allocation. (2) The MOE may assist recipients who have been approved for scholarships up to five years (the LEP and undergraduate degree programs) in applying to enroll undergraduate programs. If the said recipients are unable to apply to universities/colleges on their own, they may submit their reports of academic performance (including the academic records for each year of their highest study, including language center records) and the Admission Assistance Application Form (the format will be regulated by the MOE) to the language centers.These language centers will coordinate all forms and send them to the MOE. The MOE will assist in selecting the proper universities, according to the recipients’ wishes and levels of language proficiency. Applicants should agree to abide by all final arrangements. (3) Scholarship recipients, who wish to continue to study for their master or doctoral degrees, upon completion of their previous course of study, need to apply for the admission to the new degree program on their own. (4) Universities/colleges that accept these scholarship recipients, as state d in Subparagraph (2) and (3) of this Article, shall submit the lists to the related government agencies (including the MOE) by the end of June for review, in order to reserve the number of scholarship recipients and follow Article 10 for allocation.8. Application process for re-applying for Taiwan Scholarships after the scholarships expire: Scholarship recipients who have already studied in Taiwan will be regarded as new students after the expiration of their scholarships. If they wish to re-apply for other types of scholarship and pursue further degree programs here, they need to follow Article 6 of these Guidelines and submit the Taiwan Scholarship Application Form (Form A) and their academic records to the ROC overseas missions by the end of March. The total duration of their scholarship period cannot exceed five years, as regulated by Article 4 Paragraph 2 of the Guidelines. Undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral Scholarships recipients whose scholarship period was awarded for only one year, in accordance to the previous version of these Guidelines, should renew their scholarships following Article 7 Subparagraph(1) of these Guidelines, and are not subject to the regulations stated in the previous Paragraph of this Article. 9. The Suspension and Cancellation of Scholarships:(1) LEP students: A. If a student is absent for more than ten hours of class (serious illness and accidents excluded) within a single month, the language centers will suspend his/her scholarship the following month. B. Starting from the second quarter of study in Taiwan, if a student’s academic average is less than 80%, his/her scholarships for the next quarter will be suspended for one month. If a student’s academic average is less than 80% for two consecutive quarters, his/her scholarship status will be cancelled beginning with the next quarter.The remainder of the scholarship will also be cancelled. C. If a student is suspended from or drops out of school, the lan guage center will suspend his/her scholarship and inform the related government agencies in writing (including the MOE) in order to cancel his/her scholarship status. The remaining scholarships will also be cancelled. (2) Undergraduate/ Master’s/ Ph.D. students:A. For those Undergraduate/ Master’s scholarships recipients who are in each year of their study; Ph.D. scholarships recipients who are in the first two years of their study, if their academic average is below the passing standard set up by the school for any given semester, their school will suspend their scholarships for one month beginning with the next semester. If the schools have not set up an academic grading standard, then an undergraduate student’s academic average cannot be less than 60%, while a master and doctoral student’s academic average cannot be less than 70%. If a student is below passing for two consecutive semesters, their scholarship status will be cancelled starting the next s emester. Their remaining scholarships will also be cancelled.For those who are in their third year of a doctoral program, they must submit their thesis proposals to their schools, by the end of October of that year. Scholarships will be granted each month, if the schools approve the students’ proposals. Otherwise, scholarships will be suspended until proposals are approved, and will resume beginning from the month of approval. C. If a student is suspended from or  drops out of school, his/her school will automatically suspend his/her scholarships and inform the related government agencies in writing (including the MOE) in order to cancel his/her scholarship status.The remaining scholarships will also be cancelled. 10. The Allocation and Verification of Scholarships Accounts: (1) Allocation: Universities/colleges need to make a list of scholarship recipients and vouchers based on the various types of scholarships provided by the different government agencies. Universities/ c olleges should enclose their list of qualified recipients and vouchers, and apply to the MOFA or the MOE (scholarship stipends provided by the NSC and the MOEA are handled through the MOE; it should be noted on each voucher that the MOE is in charge of the allocation of funds for scholarships) for appropriation in January and August. Each institution will directly pay a monthly stipend to the students or to their accounts.(2) Verification of Scholarship Financial Transactions or Reports: A. For scholarships provided by MOFA, universities/colleges need to provide student signed receipts, or documents which show that money has been transferred into the students’ bank accounts, to the MOFA for verification in August and December. B. For scholarships provided by the NSC and the MOEA, universities/colleges need to provide three copies of financial transaction reports (signed by the head of the universities/colleges, accountants and cashiers) and any remainder of the stipends to th e MOE (for it to make a transfer to the NSC and the MOEA at the end of fiscal year in order to close the case) in August and December.C. For scholarships provided by the MOE, universities/colleges need to provide two copies of financial transaction reports (signed by the head of the universities/colleges, accountants and cashiers) and any remainder of the stipends to the MOE in August and December. Universities/colleges need to also keep the original copies for the Ministry of Audit or other related authorities for review. 11. Emergency Deductions: In case of financial difficulties, a scholarship recipient may request that the school deduct tuition, miscellaneous expenses, insurance premiums and other payable fees in a lump sum or in installments from his/her award, and issue the remaining amount to the scholarship recipient.12. Transferring to other schools: If scholarship recipients need to transfer to other institutions due to health, psychological reasons or special environmenta l surroundings, they need to follow MOE Regulations Regarding International Students undertaking Studies in Taiwan. If the institution or language center agrees to their transfer, these institutions must inform the related government agencies (including the MOE) for future review. Only one transfer is permitted. 13. Additional Information:(1) The MOE may allocate administration subsidies to institutions that join the Taiwan Scholarships Program and set aside a budget to assist institutions in setting up an information service center, in order to strengthen communication and the governing system for scholarships students. (2) ROC overseas missions shall organize orientations, in order to provide scholarship recipients with relevant information, before they travel to Taiwan. (3) ROC overseas missions shall be aware, if a student gives up his/her opportunity to come to Taiwan. If such a case happens, the ROC overseas missions will replace this student with another alternative.(4) Schol arship recipients should arrive at their designated universities/colleges or language centers prior to the day of registration. Institutions should report the names of those who fail to register, to the related government agencies (including the MOE), by the end of October. (5) Medical insurance fees are already included in the stipends. Universities/colleges and language centers should require that scholarship recipients join the National Health Insurance plan. Scholarship recipients must purchase other forms of medical insurance before enrolling in the National Health Insurance plan. The premium of the medical insurance plan will be deducted from the scholarships; the remaining scholarship money will be given to the scholarship recipients.(6) The ROC overseas missions should ask scholarship recipients to provide them with academic records or a report, postal and email addresses, within one month of the return to their respective countries after they complete their studies in Taiwa n. (7) Each year by the end of October, the ROC overseas missions need to send a comprehensive evaluation, which should include each student’s academic records and the other materials as stated in the Subparagraph (6) of this Article, to all the related government agencies (including the MOFA and the MOE) (8) To improve healthcare services for MOFA scholarship recipients,  the MOFA may arrange health examinations for the recipients.The MOFA shall coordinate with schools and hospitals for such examinations, with fees to be covered by its Taiwan Scholarship budget. 14. The selection process regarding the Taiwan Scholarships, their types, benefits and duration will be subject to the terms regulated in the above Guidelines. Scholarships, which have been awarded due to bilateral negotiations, cultural and educational agreements, or based on the terms of equality and reciprocity, or special circumstances, approved by heads of government agencies are not subject to the terms and r egulations under these Guidelines.

Martin Luther Essays - Augustinian Friars, English-language Films

Martin Luther Essays - Augustinian Friars, English-language Films Martin Luther Martin Luther was a German theologian and religious reformer that had a great impact on not only religion but also on politics, economics, education and language. Martin Luther was born in the town of Eisleben, Germany, on November 10, 1483, (Encarta 1). His father Hans Luther, was a worker in the copper mines in Mansfield. His mother was Margaret. Martin grew up in a home where parents prayed faithfully to the saints and taught their children to do the same. His father and mother loved their children dearly, but were also very strict with them. Luther said, my father once whipped me so that I ran away and felt ugly toward him until he was at pains to win me back. My mother once beat me until the blood flowed, for having stolen a miserable nut. (Luther 31) When Martin was five years old, he went to school in Mansfeld, where his parents had moved about a year after he was born. The subjects taught at this school was the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, church music, together with some Latin and arithmetic. (Catholic Encyclopedia 1) The sad part of the instruction was that Martin and his fellow pupils learned little about the love of God. They learned to know Jesus, not as the Friend of sinners, but as the Judge. They feared Jesus, but did not love him. The schoolmasters in my days were tyrants and executioners; the schools were jails and hells! And in spite of fear and misery, floggings and tremblings, nothing was learned, Luther said. (Luther 31) Despite the conditions at Mansfield, Martin learned rapidly, for he was a bright boy and studied diligently. At the age of twelve he was admitted to the Latin High School at Magdeburg, sixty miles from his home. Here, for the first time, Luther found a Bible. Most of his teachers at Magdeburg were members of the Brethren of the Common Life. This is the first place where he feels his first desire to enter into the religious community. The next year his father transferred him to a school on Eisenach, wishing him to become a lawyer. Here a young woman, Mrs. Ursala Cotta, took a special liking to him. At one time, when a group of boys was singing before her house, she invited Martin in and offered him free lodging. He accepted. He received free meals in another house where he taught a young child of the family. Luther was now free to devote more time to his studies. Since the Cotta family was a cultured family, Luther's stay in this home taught him to appreciate such things as music and art and helped him to develop especially his remarkable talent for music. By the time Luther was far enough advanced to enter the university his father had become a prosperous man. He went from being a miner to being the owner of many small foundries. He could now afford to give Martin a college education. Recognizing the gifts of his son, the father intended that his son should become a lawyer and therefore sent him to the University of Erfurt in 1501 at the age of seventeen. (Encarta 2) Here again the young student prayed and studied constantly. To increase his knowledge, Luther spent much time at the library. Discipline was as strict as it had been at Megdeberg and Eisenach. The students were awakened at 4:00 AM. Lectures began as the sun rose and continued until 5:00 PM. The first meal of the day was at 10:00 AM. The students hurried from class to class, pausing only for the briefest of conversations before the next lecture commenced, whispering quietly to each other in the required Latin, (Luther 34). In 1505 at the age of twenty-one he was awarded th e Master of Arts degree. (Encarta 2). He now had the right to teach and was able to register for a law course. To please his father, Martin remained on at the University to read law, but he soon lost interest in that subject. More and more he studied religion and worried over his sinful condition. But no matter how hard he tried to please God, he couldn't find peace of

Pericardiumâ€Anatomy and Function

Pericardium- Anatomy and Function The pericardium is the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart and the proximal ends of the aorta, venae cavae, and the pulmonary artery. The heart and pericardium are situated behind the sternum (breastbone) in a position in the middle of the chest cavity known as the mediastinum. The pericardium serves as an outer protective covering of the heart, a vital organ of the circulatory system and cardiovascular system. The primary function of the heart is to help circulate blood to the tissues and organs of the body. Function of the Pericardium The pericardium has several protective functions: Keeps the heart contained within the chest cavityPrevents the heart from over-expanding when blood volume increasesLimits heart motionReduces friction between the heart and surrounding tissuesProtects the heart against infection While the pericardium provides a number of valuable functions, it is not essential for life. The heart can maintain normal function without it. Pericardial Membranes The pericardium is divided into three membrane layers: Fibrous pericardium is the outer fibrous sac that covers the heart. It provides an outer protective layer that is attached to the sternum by  sternopericardial ligaments. Fibrous pericardium helps to keep the heart contained within the chest cavity. It also protects the heart from an infection that could potentially spread from nearby organs such as the lungs.Parietal pericardium is the layer between the fibrous pericardium and visceral pericardium. It is continuous with fibrous pericardium and provides an additional layer of insulation for the heart.Visceral pericardium is both the inner layer of the pericardium and the outer layer of the heart wall. Also known as the epicardium, this layer protects the inner heart layers and also assists in the production of pericardial fluid. Epicardium consists of connective tissue elastic fibers and adipose (fat) tissue, which help to support and protect the inner heart layers. Oxygen-rich blood is supplied to the epicardium and inner heart la yers by the coronary arteries. Pericardial Cavity The pericardial cavity lies between the visceral pericardium and the parietal pericardium. This cavity is filled with pericardial fluid which serves as a shock absorber by reducing friction between the pericardial membranes. There are two pericardial sinuses that pass through the pericardial cavity. A sinus is a passageway or channel. The transverse pericardial sinus is positioned above the left atrium of the heart, anterior to the superior vena cava and posterior to the pulmonary trunk and ascending aorta. The oblique pericardial sinus is situated posteriorly to the heart and is bounded by the inferior vena cava and pulmonary veins. Heart Exterior The surface layer of the heart (epicardium) is directly below the fibrous and parietal pericardium. The external heart surface contains grooves or sulci, which provide passageways for blood vessels of the heart. These sulci run along lines that separate atria from ventricles (atrioventricular sulcus) as well as right and left sides of ventricles (interventricular sulcus). Main blood vessels extending from the heart include the aorta, pulmonary trunk, pulmonary veins, and venae cavae. Pericardial Disorders Pericarditis is a disorder of the pericardium in which the pericardium becomes swollen or inflamed. This inflammation disrupts normal heart function. Pericarditis can be acute (happens suddenly and over quickly) or chronic (happens over a period of time and lasts for a long time). Some causes of pericarditis include bacterial or viral infections, cancer, kidney failure, certain medicines, and heart attack. Pericardial effusion is a condition caused by the accumulation of large amounts of fluid between the pericardium and the heart. This condition can be caused by a number of other conditions that affect the pericardium, such as pericarditis. Cardiac tamponade is pressure build up on the heart due to excessive fluid or blood build up in the pericardium. This excess pressure does not allow the heart ventricles to fully expand. As a result, cardiac output is lowered and blood supply to the body is insufficient. This condition is most commonly caused by hemorrhage due to penetration of the pericardium. The pericardium may become damaged as a result of severe trauma to the chest, a knife or gunshot wound, or accidental puncture during a surgical procedure. Other possible causes of cardiac tamponade include cancer, heart attack, pericarditis, radiation therapy, kidney failure, and lupus.

Common Sense 1776 by Thomas Paine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Common Sense 1776 by Thomas Paine - Essay Example According to the story, Henry cannot afford any investment since he is a pauper and has no experience in business matters. However, things took a different turn when he met and fell in love with Portia. Investment’s intelligence dawn on him because of his quest to retain his love and secure their future; this help him invest the million pounder bill wisely. Twain’s short story to keep one’s capital flowing could be compared to keeping aspiration and ambition alive till one achieve the objective. Henry as an individual could have not made the investment succeed if the quest to continue loving and staying with Portia was absent. Keeping one’s capital moving simply implies striving to secure what one really desire no matter the odds. The story conceives capital as sources of inspiration that enable one succeed if properly harnessed and used purposefully. The capital for Henry was his quest and worries about keeping his love though a million was there if this quest was absent then investment could have collapse or better still not started. 3. Answer According to Thorstein Veblen, â€Å"pecuniary emulation†Ã‚  Ã‚   means the behavior in which people try to emulate other people who are socially well off. Pecuniary emulation is simply the state where one strives to equal or surpass the other in terms of wealth. He observes that as people increasingly acquire wealth, their social class and lifestyles changes. The hierarchy of needs progresses as one satisfies one level and the last one is to achieve luxury more than anybody else. As these aspects of their lives change, they are seen by others to live decently and comfortably. They act as role models as those who envy them try to emulate their behavior and lifestyles. As a result, they try to improve on their earnings and acquire things that closely resemble those of the high people in the society.   The best mode of display this is through luxurious lifestyle since basic provision a nd standard living is hard to measure. Veblen acknowledges that luxurious lifestyle is the best mode of surpassing those ahead and greatly enlarging the gap between those below. 4. B. Answer The repeated saying from â€Å"The Way to Wealth† that ’Tis easier to suppress the first Desire, than to satisfy all that follow it† means that it is easy to avoid the first desire to take a debt and either invest it or spend. Theoretically it is very easy to resist desire; however, practical life endeavors negate the theoretical assumptions. The old man keeps repeating the advice since he knows people take it lightly due to theoretical assumptions. However, after the first desire has overcome an individual and falls into the trap, it is impossible to from seeking debt. It all begins with the first debt and others follow, creating a chain of other debts that are insatiable. The repetition suggests the author’s desire to make this advice known to people by insisting on it. Repetition of the old man is a form of emphasis so that the advice is taken seriously and

Domestic Violence Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Domestic Violence - Article Example The rate of suffering physical abuse in case of the children staying with the parents in an abusive relationship is quite common. They may get harmed while witnessing the spousal abuse closely and at some places some physical abuses get inflicted on them as well. At places, children are used as a barterer instrumental in getting control or manipulating the victim of the domestic abuse. In this case, the conflict between the parents also evolves a kind of mental trauma in the children and they are shattered out of disruption in gaining their love from parents. Also separation from their parents cause a serious mental trauma to them and in their adolescence they might get involved in myriad anti-social activities or may get addicted as well to escape the harsh realities of life. The sign of any means of thrashing can be effective in determining the symbol of abuse in the children. Also some bizarre or violent activity at the social plane is also indicative of the domestic abuse inflicted on children. Locating this kind of symptoms in children requires immediate attention and they should be taken to the family counselling centres or women and child development centres and with the help of the counsellors over there, the case should be reported to the police as well. Athlete: As a kid, initially I was a good student. It started when I was six years old. Suddenly my father became alcoholic and all sorts of problems started during that phase. I could never sleep at night. I completely lost control on my mind and was losing it out every day. Athlete: It was not very easy to get out of it. As a child I was helpless. Some abnormalities were located by my class teacher and she reported it to the concerned authority. I was send to hostel soon after. Athlete: Yes. This is the worst side of the domestic violence. My parents decided to get